High resolution velocity/depth spectra estimation for seismic profiling

High resolution methods such as the so called maximum likelihood or maximum entropy procedures have found extensive use in spectral analysis and array processing. In all of these applications the spectral signals have been sinusoids or planewaves respectively. This led to a very close coupling to harmonic analysis as spectra or wave number functions. If one examines the general structure of these methods, the procedures are more closely related to parameter estimation so that one can consider the analysis nonstationary, or nonhomogeneous signal fields. One such situation exists in seismic profiling when the reflected signal structure presents a hyperbolic wavefront. Results will be presented showing the application of the generalized from of these high resolution methods to a proposed six channel array system for work to be done with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute - International Decade of Ocean Exploration Program.